Autopsy: Teen in ATV crash died of blunt trauma to head in state police chase
(WJBK) - The autopsy report for the 15-year-old who died after being tased while fleeing from police has been released.
Damon Grimes was killed Aug. 26 in an ATV accident. Michigan State Police have said former Trooper Mark Bessner pursued Grimes after he ignored an order to stop, and then shot the teen with a Taser. The boy drove over a curb and struck a pickup.
Grimes' death was caused by blunt force head trauma caused by the collision, it said in the Wayne County Medical Examiner report, which ruled his death an accident.
The autopsy showed leads from a conducted electrical weapon embedded in the hair on the back left side of the head and skin of the left lower back. It also included he suffered a dislocation of the skull and multiple areas of bleeding under his scalp among the injuries.
The toxicology report did not show any findings of significance in his bloodstream. To read the full report look for attachment at bottom of story.
Bessner resigned Sept. 22 and could still face criminal charges, while two other state police employees involved in the incident were suspended. Bessner had been suspended amid an ongoing investigation.
In a statement to FOX 2, MSP said that investigators believe the evidence supports criminal charges. The decision of whether to file charges will ultimately be made by the Wayne County Prosecutor's Office. MSP said it started to submit evidence to the prosecutor's office on Friday.
Bessner's attorney has said the trooper had to make a "split-second decision" under tough circumstances. Grimes's death prompted protests in the city and a $50 million lawsuit from his family. Prosecutors will review the case for possible charges.
State police have also suspended patrols in the 9th Precinct on Detroit's east side, where they'd been since 2012 as part of the state's Secure Cities Partnership. The area is considered a high-crime portion of Detroit.
There is dashcam of the incident but Grimes' family attorney Geoffrey Fieger says until he sees it, he's hesitant to call what happened a police chase.
"What I can only describe as a drive by shooting of a child on an ATV," he said. "Under no circumstances should no police officer ever at any time, any place, anywhere, shoot like a cowboy out of his vehicle which is my understanding of what he did," he said. "It had to be at or equal to where Desmond was to shoot him out of the window. It couldn't have been much of a chase."
Autopsy Report - Teen who died in ATV chase by David Komer on Scribd